Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-11-04
THE PANHANDLE.
The Question Of Settling up West Texas
Depends Solely Upon the Wise Ad-
minislration Of the Land Laws.
A Short Interview with General G. NJ.
Dodge of the Fort Worth and Denver.
Land DC M missioner Hall Defended

a representative of THE GAZETTE had
the pleasure of meeting General G. NJ.
Dodge, who, in company with Colonels
W. w. Walters of Baltimore and c. F.
Meeks of DesMoines, and Major John
Ad6mson of the Fort Worth and Denver,
were in the city after an ex-
tended tour over the road. General
Dodge is looking hale and hearty and his
physical condition apparently guarantees
him many years Of life and usefulness.
In conversation with THE GAZETTE
scribe General Dodge expressed himself
freely On the subject OF railroad building
and the settlement of the country.
Said General Dodge: eyes, sir; we
have been over the line Of the Fort
Worth and Denver and are now on our
way east. I am much pleased with the
outlook as far es the road is concerned.
We are nearing the Canadian river and
will continue building as last as practica
BILE until the line is completed"
CHOW is the country settling up?"
"That Is a question which exercises me
more than little. The Panhandle is not
settling as fast as it ought
to, nor as fast IS people
would like to settle 1t. The fact IS that
your state laws are defective in the most
important particular; people coming in
or desiring come in 90 not know and
cannot ascertain with that degree Of GER
tainty necessary to inspire confidence,
the niece 'ssry information relative TO
land titles. There are thousands Of
acres Of land in the Panhandle
and there are thousands of families that
IN "a nd
but no one knows where to settle and no
one can find out anything about title.
have received numbers OF letters from
parties who desire to locate in that terri
tory or who have been over the GROUND
ana desire to purchase homes,
asking me about the title
TO the lands. They do not care what the
price is or how long time they will have
to pay for them; they want something
certain and permanent AS it is, there are
lands that may be classed as agricultural,
or may not. It depends on the agent.
For my part l am at a loss to know lust
where IN the Panhandle to find
lands that are not suited for agricultural
purposes. Agricultural lands, as [ IN
derstsnd them, are those that may be
plowed up, titled, and upon which crops
may be raised. Il there is any other sort
of land in the Panhandle my observations
have failed to reveal them to me. The
fact is that all, or nearly all, lands in
the Panhandle are good agricultural
lands, and nothing else can be made out
| of them. That is how I estimate them,
and that is how those who go there for
the purpose of investigation regard them.
What we want is something defnite-
| something certain in regard to
classification and title. People are
| deferred from settling on public lands as
| lopg as the title is subject to the possibly
vaccil!ating Judgment of any man. OF
course, theoretically the actual settler is
given precedence over the stockman, but
practically the leasing system is an in
surmountable barrier to bona fide settle
ment. l believe that Lsnd Commissioner
Hall is an able, conscientious officer who
has the interest Of the state at heart and
| who is really enxIous to carry out the
policy of the state, in settling and devel-
oping the west. but the uncertainty and
viciousness OF the land system prevents
| him from accomplishing his desires. Cat
tlemen naturally desire to retard settle
ment as it is to their interest to do so,
and csttlemen rule in that section.
II the state officials entagonize
these gentlemen or this interest, they
will suffer fcom their enmity. l am anx-
ious and, though perpleXed st times,
| hopeful that the state will soon see her
own interests in clear light, and forever
put quietus on land classification and
land titles in the west. Hundreds
of families go in there for
the purpose OF settling, but
conclude that New Mexico is q safer
place on account of the land law"
There was only brief pause in the
conversation, but short as it was Major
Adamson found room to straighten up
and place himself in an attitude ready
| for defamation.
Said Major Adamson: "This land
question in the Panhandle is pig thing
and large bodies move slowly. I was
through the west with Land Commission
er Hall (MsjOr Adamson called him 'DiCk
Hail. but the courteous scribe cannot be
too tamiliar) and Texas to-day does not
contain man better posted on land mat
tiers or one who desires to do what
| is to the best interests of the country.
He has been over the ground-rode night
and day-talked with the people, not
alone the cattlemen, but the nesters and
squatters, and he is determined to do the
preciates that the settlement of the west
is of tantamount Importance and every
foot of land leased is subject to the actual
settler. OF course there are oldIesses and
very naturally there is a moral effect of
the lease system which retards settlement
and which have no desire to defend, but
whs. 1 know and what desire to en-
| plastic is this: The Panhandle is going
TO be settled and Dick Hsll is going to do
ell in his power TO expedite its settle
ment.".
The scribe was in mortal agony lest the
Msjor should get over in the back of the
dictionary where the big words do husi-
ness on the ground floor, but his fears
were allsyed by seeing the Major settle
himself in q chair as one who had said
sn6 done all that was necessary.
It was only few minutes until the
chilly night winds admonIshed the scribe
that he was fitting towards the Office
with a pocket full OF notes, which ere
here transcribed, emphfed and pre-
scented to an anxious public IS only The
GAZETTE can arrange them.